The Entire Team USA 19-Man Preliminary Roster Revealed

The timing on this couldn’t be any better. Doesn’t it seem like just yesterday the Redeem Team put the clamps on the world, and brought back the Gold Medal in a classic final game against Spain? Well with the turn of the calendar to 2012, the Olympics feel like they’re right around the corner. Crazy, right? Reports have told us all along that the preliminary roster this summer would be 18 deep. From there, they would take 12 players – most of whom are already locks – to this summer’s Olympics to defend the gold medal. But now Chris Sheridan is reporting that they’re planning to make room for one more player during tryouts: Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge.

So who will make the official team for London? Pretty much everyone who played a role in 2008 will have the opportunity to come back if they want it. That’s Howard, ‘Melo, James, Bryant, Bosh, Paul, Williams and Wade who’ll have the inside track. Sheridan has written in the past that Durant and Griffin are very nearly “shoo-ins” for the final roster as well. That leaves two spots for everyone else to fight over.

Love and Rose have to be the favorites right? Love would be perfect, and Rose might actually beat out Williams for a spot. The fact that Jerry Colangelo recently acknowledged the reigning MVP in an interview about the team with Fox Sports Florida should tell you all you need to know:

“You’re hearing Kobe (Bryant) right up there with the greatest of all time. Dwyane Wade and LeBron (James) are right up there. You’ve got to add up the names, and you look at the young guys like (Kevin) Durant as an example and (Derrick) Rose as an example. There’s so many. There’s only been one Dream Team, and that’s the way I think it should be. But there’s no question our team will be much stronger than we had in 2008. They’re more mature, more experienced and we’ve got more talent.”

There’s also the question of Amar’e Stoudemire, who says he hopes to play, but with his injury history, the Knicks may once again tell him to sit it out.

As for Aldridge, while I would love to see him on the team – he’d fit in perfectly in international play – I’m assuming he’ll get cut out again. For the Blazer forward, he can at least plan on a trip to the All-Star Game this year because with the way this season is shaping up – Portland dominating, Aldridge playing even better than last year – no way he misses out again.

With training camp beginning on July 5, the final 12-man roster must be submitted by June 20 in addition to six alternates for the Olympics (July 27 – Aug. 12).

Idk about blake griffin in this lineup. Hes really not a great shooter, really not an outstanding defender, cant handle the ball that well in traffic. I think he may be in for a reality check once he starts playing. Out of all the players they named he is by far the least polished. All he does is dunk and get the occasional rebound. Hes definetly very athletic but with the increase level of physical play that comes with international basketball i dont see him getting up all too often.

FIBA game we don’t really need a lot of big guys…we just need guys that can run.

By: Silent Assassin

01.10.2012 @ 10:03 PM

@ Austin: Yes, in 2012 this squad would be able to beat the Dream Team. I can’t believe you actually typed that statement. Your keyboard is probably mad at you for making it an accessory to such a crime. SMH…

By: Silent Assassin

01.10.2012 @ 10:08 PM

I don’t see Gordon making the squad (because there are so many others that have superior abilities at his position). Westbrook has been getting A LOT of bad press lately as far as team chemistry/shot selection is concerned, so I don’t see that happening either (it would be a great experience for him though). I would actually love to see Billups on the squad for his veteran leadership and skills. He would be the 2012 version of Jason Kidd. But it would be a tight race, especially coming into a summer where a team used it’s exception clause on you. I’m sure that would be great motivation for him though.

By: control

01.10.2012 @ 10:11 PM

A starting line of LeBron, Wade, Rose, Griffin and Love would be the best fast break team in HISTORY. Love can throw outlet passes better than anyone, and the other 4 guys are maybe the fastest guys at their position in the world, end to end. Teams would have to leave guys back like a safety. I would hate to be a guard who had to play that team…all of those guys are amazingly strong and fast, and could just straight murder teams defensively on the outside due to the increased physical game.

AB

I don’t disagree with you, but I disagree with opening that can of worms again, haha. It’s sort of like arguing with a certain poster here, so pointless it’s like trying to jerk it while suffering from ED.

This updated version of redeem team is in my opinion the best squad since Dream Team 1. I loved the way the redeem team dominated & with the inclusion of my boy KD35 they look unbeatable Baring injury imagine CP3, KB24, KD35, LJ6, DH12 all on the court @ the same time that would be some entertaining stuff & not only offensively KB24 & DH12 are two of the best defensive players in the league in there positions. But saying that there is no way this version could take Dream Team 1…. He’s Airness MJ23, Magic & Larry Legend with a supporting cast of pretty much all HOF’S except Lattener LOL. Never know though @ the end of these guys careers we might say there is no way 1992 would take these guys never know….

By: control

01.10.2012 @ 11:10 PM

bks_sizzle & surfnaked

That douchebag couldn’t play well with the other guys, they essentially told him to gtfo and never come back. Apparently he was having issues with thinking he was the best guy in the room, and the coach couldn’t talk to him at all. Guy is just so amazingly disliked by everyone he knows, that it’s almost like he is that one beeber newz guy who posts here (which would explain why he comes at me all day, and fails).

By: soleinthefrijol

01.10.2012 @ 11:17 PM

griffin? really?
i know hes an explosive player and all but he still has sooo much more to learn than just dunking, overall lamarcus and love are way more skilled and griffin, griffin may be more athletic but having lamarcus and love in the pf would just be dominating!!

Makes me wonder if Wade is gonna accept coming off the bench again. He and Kobe could start in the back court though.

And yes I agree that this team COULD beat the 1992 dream if they played in 2012.

By: trollne1

01.10.2012 @ 11:20 PM

@control

When you said he comes at you all day. That ain’t right.

By: Chicagorilla

01.10.2012 @ 11:50 PM

I hope Derrick Rose doesn’t get picked. I hope they use some sort of weird reasoning to tell him he didn’t make it.

The Olympics are cool and all, but I would much rather DRose rest. Plus the last thing I would want as a GM, is my star player linking up with the Douchebaggery of Lebron, Wade, Melo, Amare, Dwight, and CP3. They all clearly linked up during the 2008 Olympics and chose where they were going to play. I wouldn’t want my star player feeding off their bullshyt. Although i would like to see Rose talk Love into coming to Chicago someday.

Yeah, you are right, he does take breaks, usually so he can play with his tiny limp dick, using his own smegma as lube, wearing only his mom’s used underwear as a ski mask and a tight 4XL clearance 2005 rape case Kobe #8 jersey that is stained with bbq sauce and spam juice, in his parent’s basement and using a pile of his own shit as a beanbag, watching two dogs having sex on youtube because his dad installed a parental filter for real porn.

By: Servonian

01.11.2012 @ 12:06 AM

I would take Chandler as back up center behind Howard and forget about Bosh. So my team is:

Howard
James
Durant
Bryant
Paul

With
Chandler
Love
Griffin
Anthony
Wade
Williams
Rose

By: Panchitoooo

01.11.2012 @ 2:56 AM

@ chicagorilla
Ive seen blake play live and that pretty much what he does 80% of the time. hes good on the break and brings the hype and gets the crowd going but after that, what else does he do? Let me know so i can watch for it.
Blake doesnt trust his jumper enough to use it in the clutch and after that little drop step spin move he does he really dont got any post moves for a foward. Dude won the dunk contest not the skills competition. If rudy gay would have been healthy id take him over griffin.

By: RJ

01.11.2012 @ 7:07 AM

Im sorry but including someone for an international competition who for his career has shot 59% from the free throw line and so far this season is shooting 45% is unacceptable!

Howard should be removed and replaced by someone who will rebound, find the open man and most importantly be dependable from the line when it hits crunch time.

RJ

By: Soopa / b_malte

01.11.2012 @ 7:58 AM

Rondo left the team on bad terms last time. Might be why he isnt on this list.

Remember FIBA rules allow defensive players to camp in the lane all the want. Which means Dwight/Chandler never have to leave the paint.

Which brings me to think that USA should play that 2-3 Syracuse trapping zone. Harass the 3pt line with Dwight being able to camp in the paint? The zone is excellent for kick starting fast breaks as well.
Didn’t they play it a bit last time? Is Jim Boeheim still on the coaching staff?

By: JAY

01.11.2012 @ 8:38 AM

Who cares if Blake doesn’t trust his jumper… he’s a 22(23?) yr old PF. The last thing you want a young big man to do is start fall in love with his jumper. The most impressive part of his game is his passing. He really sees the floor and he has good instincts. He’s always seems to be in the right spot… whether it’s on offense, on the break, or off rebounds. He has a knack to be around the ball. While you can teach that sort of thing (to an extent), but to see a young guy like Blake doing it, that’s all instinct.

It’s easy for people to criticize the leapers and say they are just dunkers. Sometimes its true, but not in Blake’s case. Yes, he’s the rawest of the bunch, but why not give him a chance to make the team since he’s young enough to be on the team for future years? Doesn’t he, at the very least, deserve the chance to show up for try-outs? The exposure will be good for him even if he doesn’t make the final roster.

By: beiber newz

01.11.2012 @ 9:20 AM

anyone who feels kobe should come off the bench loses all bball credibility. you’re better than that !

By: Susej

01.11.2012 @ 9:25 AM

Deron Williams
Chris Paul
Derrick Rose

Dwyane Wade
Kobe Bryant

LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Carmelo Anthony

Kevin Love
Chris Bosh
LaMarcus Aldridge

Dwight Howard

By: Buckets

01.11.2012 @ 10:06 AM

The cuts will be

Gordon
Billups
Odom
Iggy (Gay would be a better pick here)
Possibly Westbrook, depending on how many they carry

No need for Rondo if you have deron, rose and cp3

By: K Dizzle

01.11.2012 @ 10:40 AM

I know Aldridge won’t make it. Why?

Cuz he’d be perfect for the international game…

Should be there, won’t be.

By: Panchitoooo

01.11.2012 @ 11:35 AM

@ JAY

you say the most impressive thing about Griffins is his passing? Dude only averages 2 APG. Hows that is that impressive?

By: Big T

01.11.2012 @ 12:10 PM

Does it really matter what Dwight shoots from the FT line? I highly doubt there will be any nailbiters with this lineup.

By: top_gun

01.11.2012 @ 12:42 PM

92 Dream Team wouldn’t lose to the 2012 team. Even Colangelo said it and he’s building the damn team.

chandler sucked balls in 2010 and he will again if he makes this team. It’g gonna be Howard, Aldridge, Bosh, Love, Anthony, Durant, James, Igoudala, Wade, Bryant, Paul and Williams. 92 wouldn’t eat them alive but they would beat them. they would get outrebounded, beaten on the inside and would have a really tough time on defense. Whilst the 92 team would have problems with LeBron or Durant, I don’t think in the one on one lineups with the best on the posistion on both teams would have any trouble with any of these 19 players. Robinson, Ewing, Malone and Barkley would have a field day, if Pau and Marc can burn em these guys would kill em. Jordan and Drexler are every bit as great or better than Wade and Bryant and John Stockton and Magic Johnson post a lot of trouble for the short point guards of this crop. Bird, Magic, Jordan vs Melo, Lebron and Kobe. I’d take the dream team by +9

By: BiGShoTBoB

01.11.2012 @ 5:09 PM

The 2012 team beating “The Dream Team.” is that even a question? Let’s just go through the match ups shall we?

Magic vs. Paul – Come on seriously
The GOAT kills Kobe and is Wade’s boss
Pippen’s defense shuts Lebron down in the 4th
Malone vs. Durant and Bosh <–This maybe 2012 only advantage
Ewing shuts down Dwight since he has 0 post moves

By: bdog

01.12.2012 @ 12:44 AM

i would go bron melo howard up front …cpe/rose and mamba in the backcourt..like flash coming off the bench…durant ditto. need a shooter..gordon could work i guess. i think aldridge will be huge…besides gordon who else can stretch the floor..durant? williams can hit shots i guess!

By: Chicagorilla

01.12.2012 @ 12:59 PM

I’ve been watching this video of Dream Team beating up on Puerto Rico[www.youtube.com]

And Now I want to see a match up of Dream team vs 2012. I’m going to set this up on NBA2k12 at some point and let the CPU play it out. Should be interesting.
I would suggest DIME do it, but they would cheat in order to pamper the ballers of today.

By: BiGShoTBoB

01.12.2012 @ 1:21 PM

@Chicagorilla Only thing is no Barkley…Sir Charles was the mvp of that team imo

By: Chicagorilla

01.12.2012 @ 3:46 PM

@BSB

yeah no Barkley but he wasn’t the MvP. He was just the leading scorer. I’ll have to find a replacement…say Hakeem Olajuwan.

By: Austin Burton

01.12.2012 @ 6:46 PM

@BigShotBOB — Or, you have a past-his-prime Magic who’s been retired for 10 months; Jordan probably getting as good as he’s giving to Kobe/Wade; Pippen mentally checking out in the 4th because Daly didn’t draw up a play for him; Malone choking in the 4th (again); and Ewing not being able to get HIS offense going against a 3-time DPOY.

See? We can skew the matchups in 2012’s favor too.

By: Chicagorilla

01.14.2012 @ 2:17 AM

@Ab

That’s not skewing the matchups, that’s called smoking crack cocaine. You keep posting shyt like that and you may as well change your name from Austion to Pookie.